103: Chapter 103 Mixed-Race

Jiang Chen did not answer immediately.

He looked into Manager Zhou's eyes, paused for about five seconds, and then slowly nodded.

"9.5 million, full payment, settled today. Compress the property transfer cycle from twenty working days to fifteen, and throw in one year of free property management fees."

Manager Zhou gave a bitter smile. "Mr. Jiang, your negotiation style is tougher than many bosses I've seen."

"Deal or no deal?"

Manager Zhou reached out his hand. "Deal."

Jiang Chen shook his hand and gave it a light squeeze.

Manager Zhou reprinted the contract, modified the amount to 9.5 million, and adjusted the clauses regarding the transfer cycle and property fees according to Jiang Chen's requirements.

Jiang Chen read the contract from beginning to end once more. After confirming everything was correct, he took out a bank card from his bag and handed it over.

Swiping the card, signing, pressing fingerprints, and applying electronic seals.

The entire process took less than half an hour.

The moment the words "Transaction Successful" appeared on the screen, the eastern half of the 37th floor of the Changjiang International Center—a 500-square-meter fully furnished office space—officially belonged to Chenxing Capital.

9.5 million, full payment.

It was 300,000 cheaper than the price estimated by the intelligence.

Manager Zhou handed over the keys and access cards with both hands, his smile much more sincere than before. "Mr. Jiang, congratulations. The title deed will be ready within fifteen working days, and I will deliver it to you personally."

Jiang Chen took the keys and casually put them in his pocket.

"Manager Zhou, leave this floor empty for now. I won't be sending anyone over temporarily, but I'll need your help with a few things: give the air conditioning system a full maintenance check, activate all network ports, and have the cleaners give the entire floor a thorough cleaning."

"No problem, everything will be done within three days."

Jiang Chen stood up, shook hands with Manager Zhou, and turned to walk out of the lobby.

Getting into his car, he glanced at his phone; it was a quarter past two.

His appointment with Shen Xi was at three o'clock at Maan Coffee on the first floor of the IFC. It wasn't far, just over a ten-minute drive.

There was plenty of time.

He was in no hurry to leave. Instead, he leaned back in the driver's seat and closed his eyes to rest for a while.

He went over Shen Xi's profile in his mind.

Twenty-six years old, undergraduate degree from Fudan University, MBA from London Business School.

Former Brand Director of a leading catering chain group. She had spearheaded the establishment of three sub-brands from zero to one, including a high-end Japanese cuisine brand with annual revenue exceeding 100 million.

Ability rating: S-. She was proficient not only in brand operations but also in corporate architecture, team management, and business negotiations. She had even been deeply involved in headquarters site selection and overall office space planning.

More importantly, she had been pushed out of the company for refusing to cooperate with financial fraud.

Top-tier ability, upright character, and currently at a low point in her career.

Such a person was exactly the core talent Chenxing Capital needed right now.

Jiang Chen opened his eyes, started the car, and drove toward the IFC.

At 2:30 PM, he arrived at Maan Coffee.

He picked a booth by the window, ordered an Americano, then placed his phone face down on the table and looked out at the street scene.

The area around the IFC was always the most glamorous facet of Jiangcheng.

The people passing by were dressed decently and walked hurriedly, each with an expression that said, "I'm doing something important."

Jiang Chen watched for a while, felt a bit bored, withdrew his gaze, and took a sip of his coffee.

It was just past 2:40 PM, twenty minutes before three.

He didn't mind arriving early.

In the business of waiting, the person who arrives first is always more composed.

When he was halfway through his coffee, the glass door of Maan Coffee was pushed open.

It wasn't a forceful push, but a gentle nudge, followed by her body naturally leading the way—very effortless and relaxed.

Jiang Chen looked up, his gaze narrowing slightly.

A woman walked in.

She wore a cream-white linen shirt with a texture so soft it looked as if it had been washed countless times. The sleeves were loosely rolled up to her forearms, revealing a pair of well-proportioned wrists.

On her lower half, she wore a pair of dark brown high-waisted wide-leg trousers. The fabric had an excellent drape, swaying gently as she walked, like wind blowing through a wheat field.

On her feet were a pair of nude pointed-toe flats. They had no heels, yet every step she took carried an indescribable presence.

Her long hair was draped casually over her shoulders without any deliberate styling. The ends had a natural curve, as if they had just been brushed by the river breeze.

She wore only light makeup. Her eyebrows were neatly groomed, and her lip color was a nude mauve—not flashy, but very pleasing to the eye.

But even with such a simple outfit, that face was still incredibly beautiful.

Her features were deep and well-defined, with high brow bones, a straight nose, and full, exquisite lips.

Her skin was a healthy wheat color with a faint glow, as if it were perpetually kissed by the sun.

Most captivating of all were her eyes.

Her pupils were lighter than average, shimmering with an amber light under the soft glow of the cafe, giving her a sense of mystery that sat somewhere between the East and the West.

Mixed race.

The thought flashed through Jiang Chen's mind, only to be immediately overwritten by another.

There was a faint layer of dark circles under her eyes, the kind that makeup couldn't hide.

They were traces left by long-term sleep deprivation, or perhaps intense mental pressure that kept her awake all night long.

In short, she hadn't been doing well lately.

But her posture hadn't faltered.

Shen Xi stood at the door and scanned the room, her gaze quickly locking onto Jiang Chen.

She paused slightly, clearly not expecting the person who invited her to be so young, and then she walked over.

Her flat shoes made almost no sound on the floor, but her gait was steady.

Her back was straight, her shoulders relaxed, and every step was taken without haste, as if she were measuring something.

This wasn't a posture from deliberate training; it was something that naturally grew into one's bones after long periods in management positions.

Reaching the booth, Shen Xi stopped, her gaze landing on Jiang Chen's face.

Her way of sizing him up was very professional.

Quick and subtle, she scanned him from top to bottom—from his clothing to his temperament—before withdrawing her gaze.

"Mr. Jiang?" she spoke.

Her voice had a slightly raspy quality, like the middle range of a cello—not crisp, but very mellow.

"Ms. Shen Xi, please have a seat."

Jiang Chen stood up and made a gesture of invitation, a perfect smile on his face. "What would you like to drink?"

Shen Xi sat down opposite him and placed a simple tote bag by her side. Her movements were light, making no unnecessary noise.

"An iced Americano, thank you."

Jiang Chen raised his hand to call the waiter and ordered another iced Americano.

In the interval while waiting for the coffee, the two of them locked eyes across the table for a moment.

Shen Xi was in no hurry to speak; she was observing.

Jiang Chen was in no hurry to speak either; he was waiting.

When the iced Americano was served, Shen Xi picked it up and took a sip, then set the cup down and looked up at Jiang Chen.

"Mr. Jiang, to be honest, I was a little surprised when I received your call."

Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, as if she were simply stating a fact. "I haven't heard of Chenxing Capital before."